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Setup guideCircuit

iRacing (iRacing) setups

Developer: iRacing.com Motorsport SimulationsCircuitReleasedSetups importable by file

Learn how to dial in your car in iRacing: what every setup parameter does, what changes when you raise or lower it, and where iRacing stores its setups. All reconstructed 1:1 against the real in-game editor, so you stop copying setups you don't understand.

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Files

Where setups are stored

iRacing stores setups as .sto files in Documents\iRacing\setups\<car>\ (one folder per car, created the first time you drive it). You can drop the .sto there and load it from the in-game garage screen (source: support.iracing.com).

Glossary

What each parameter does

The 24 settings you can tune in iRacing, with what each one does and the effect of raising or lowering it.

Ranges flagged as estimated are inferred from the car's physics when the editor doesn't show the slider limit; the rest come from verified in-game captures.

Tyres

  • Front tyre pressure

    Range: 18 – 35 psiEstimated range

    Cold pressure you set on the front tyre. In iRacing GT3 the hot window is around 22-24 psi (sources: Coach Dave Academy, simracingsetup.com); you start lower cold to reach it once rolling. (slider range estimated)

    If you increase ↑
    Sharper response but less contact patch and more heat; too high and the tyre loses grip from overinflation.
    If you decrease ↓
    More contact patch and mechanical grip, but vaguer response and risk of overheating from flex.

  • Rear tyre pressure

    Range: 18 – 35 psiEstimated range

    Same as front but on the rear axle: affects traction and rear stability. Same hot window ~22-24 psi. (slider range estimated)

    If you increase ↑
    Twitchier rear with less grip; can step out on power.
    If you decrease ↓
    More traction and rear stability, until pressure drops so low it overheats.

Alignment

  • Front camber

    Range: -4.5 – -1 °Estimated range

    Wheel lean seen from the front. More negative = more cornering grip, less under braking/straights. (estimated range)

    If you increase ↑
    Toward 0 (less negative) improves braking and even wear, but lowers grip while loaded.
    If you decrease ↓
    More negative gives more lateral grip in corners, costing braking and inner-edge temps.

  • Rear camber

    Range: -4 – -0.5 °Estimated range

    Rear axle camber, typically a bit less negative than the front (wider rear tyre). Controls how much lateral grip the rear has in corners. (estimated range)

    If you increase ↑
    Toward 0 improves straight-line traction but the rear grips less laterally.
    If you decrease ↓
    More negative stabilises the rear when loaded, costing some pure traction.

  • Front toe

    Range: -0.4 – 0.2 °Estimated range

    Where the wheels point seen from above. Negative (toe-out) = sharper turn-in. (estimated range)

    If you increase ↑
    Toward toe-in (positive) adds straight-line stability but lazier turn-in.
    If you decrease ↓
    More toe-out sharpens entry, with a bit more nervousness and wear.

  • Rear toe

    Range: -0.1 – 0.5 °Estimated range

    Rear axle toe. More toe-in (positive) = more rear stability. (estimated range)

    If you increase ↑
    More toe-in greatly stabilises the rear on power, costing a touch of top speed.
    If you decrease ↓
    Less toe-in frees the rear for more rotation, but less stability.

Suspension & mechanical grip

  • Front anti-roll bar

    Range: 0 – 10Estimated range

    How much the front axle resists roll. Stiffer = less relative front grip. (estimated scale)

    If you increase ↑
    Stiffer front = more understeer (front slides first). Useful if the rear is loose.
    If you decrease ↓
    Softer front = more front grip and rotation; fixes understeer.

  • Rear anti-roll bar

    Range: 0 – 10Estimated range

    Rear axle roll resistance. Stiffer = sharper rear and less rear grip. (estimated scale)

    If you increase ↑
    Stiffer rear = more rotation/oversteer; helps understeer but loosens the rear.
    If you decrease ↓
    Softer rear = more traction and rear stability; fixes oversteer.

  • Front spring rate

    Range: 800 – 3000 lbs/inEstimated range

    Front spring stiffness. Stiffer = the body dives/squats less and response is sharper, at the cost of following the road less well. (estimated range and unit)

    If you increase ↑
    Stiffer front = a more stable, reactive platform, but less mechanical grip and more understeer over bumps.
    If you decrease ↓
    Softer front = more mechanical grip and better over bumps, but more pitch and vaguer response.

  • Rear spring rate

    Range: 700 – 2800 lbs/inEstimated range

    Rear spring stiffness. With the front it sets the stiffness balance (hence under/oversteer). (estimated range and unit)

    If you increase ↑
    Stiffer rear = more rotation and response, but less traction and a twitchier rear over bumps.
    If you decrease ↓
    Softer rear = more traction and stability, but more pitch and the rear squats on power.

  • Front ride height

    Range: 1.6 – 3.5 inEstimated range

    Front floor-to-ground distance. Lower = more aero load and lower centre of gravity. (estimated range and unit)

    If you increase ↑
    Raising gives more travel for kerbs/bumps and less bottoming, costing some grip.
    If you decrease ↓
    Lowering increases aero grip and response, but risks bottoming out and bouncing.

  • Rear ride height

    Range: 1.8 – 4 inEstimated range

    Rear ride height. With the front it sets the 'rake' that loads the diffuser. (estimated range and unit)

    If you increase ↑
    Raising the rear adds rake: more aero load and rotation, until it gets unstable if overdone.
    If you decrease ↓
    Lowering the rear stabilises the car at high speed, costing some rotation.

Dampers

  • Front slow bump

    Range: 0 – 24Estimated range

    Front damper resistance to slow COMPRESSION (weight transfer under braking/turning). (estimated scale; slow channel only in this batch)

    If you increase ↑
    Higher = the front dives more slowly (firmer platform), but follows the road less well.
    If you decrease ↓
    Lower = the front dives more freely (more mechanical grip), with more pitch.

  • Rear slow bump

    Range: 0 – 24Estimated range

    Rear damper resistance to slow compression. Affects how the rear squats on power. (estimated scale)

    If you increase ↑
    Higher = the rear squats more slowly (more reactive), with slightly less initial traction.
    If you decrease ↓
    Lower = the rear squats more freely (more exit traction), with more movement.

  • Front slow rebound

    Range: 0 – 24Estimated range

    Front damper resistance to slow EXTENSION (as the front rises again). (estimated scale)

    If you increase ↑
    Higher = the front returns more slowly (holds load longer), but can stay 'hung'.
    If you decrease ↓
    Lower = the front recovers faster (better over repeated bumps), with less rebound control.

  • Rear slow rebound

    Range: 0 – 24Estimated range

    Rear damper resistance to slow extension. Affects how the rear recovers ride height and how much load it holds. (estimated scale)

    If you increase ↑
    Higher = the rear returns more slowly (more stable), risking lost traction if it stays low.
    If you decrease ↓
    Lower = the rear recovers faster (more traction over bumps), with more movement.

Aerodynamics

  • Rear wing

    Range: 0 – 15 °Estimated range

    Rear wing angle: makes downforce at the rear. More wing = more grip, less top speed. (estimated range)

    If you increase ↑
    More wing stabilises the rear in fast corners and braking, costing straight-line speed.
    If you decrease ↓
    Less wing gives more top speed but the rear gets nervous at high speed.

  • Front aero (splitter / wing)

    Range: 0 – 12Estimated range

    Front aero device: on GT3/GT4 it's the SPLITTER position (regulates how much downforce the front carries); on the Formula cars in this batch it's the front two-element WING angle (Skip Barber is described as 'winged' in its official spec sheet; Formula Renault 2.0, Dallara F3 and the IndyCar Dallara IR18 all run an adjustable front wing). Higher = more front load in both cases. (estimated range and unit; the real unit may differ by class, not representable in this single field)

    If you increase ↑
    More front aero = more corner-entry grip and less understeer, at the cost of top speed.
    If you decrease ↓
    Less front aero = more top speed but the front gets lazy on entry, especially in fast corners.

Brakes

  • Brake bias

    Range: 50 – 70 %Estimated range

    Percentage of braking sent to the front axle. Higher = more front brake. (estimated range, typical real-GT order of magnitude)

    If you increase ↑
    More forward = more stable braking, but more risk of locking the fronts and understeering.
    If you decrease ↓
    More rearward helps rotation on the brakes, with risk of locking the rear and instability.

  • Front brake ducts

    Range: 0 – 6Estimated range

    How much air cools the front brakes. Higher = cooler brakes, but a bit more aero drag. (estimated scale)

    If you increase ↑
    More duct = cooler front brakes and tyres (better in long races/heat), costing a touch of top speed.
    If you decrease ↓
    Less duct = hotter brakes (better in the cold or single laps) and a bit less drag.

  • Rear brake ducts

    Range: 0 – 6Estimated range

    Same as front but on the rear axle: rear brake cooling (and, in turn, rear tyre temperature). (estimated scale)

    If you increase ↑
    More duct = cooler rear brakes and tyres; useful if the rear overheats in long stints.
    If you decrease ↓
    Less duct = more rear heat (better in the cold), with a little less drag.

Differential

  • Differential preload

    Range: 20 – 300 NmEstimated range

    How much the diff locks under gentle throttle changes. High preload gives exit traction and stability but can oversteer under hard throttle; low preload frees rotation but can understeer on exit. (estimated range; does not model separate accel/decel ramps)

    If you increase ↑
    More preload = more locking: better exit traction and stability, but too much tends to snap the rear loose under hard throttle.
    If you decrease ↓
    Less preload frees rotation, but if it's too low the rear won't hook up and you get understeer on power-down.

Electronics

  • Traction control (TC)

    Range: 1 – 10Estimated range

    How much it cuts power to stop wheelspin on throttle. Higher = intervenes earlier. Real only on GT3/GT4; the Formula cars in this batch have no real-world TC (category regulations). (1-10 scale cited for the Audi R8 LMS EVO II GT3, not verified against the in-game editor)

    If you increase ↑
    More TC = safer in the wet or low grip, but limits acceleration in the dry.
    If you decrease ↓
    Less TC = more raw acceleration if you can modulate; more risk of the rear stepping out.

  • ABS

    Range: 1 – 10Estimated range

    How much it prevents wheel lock under braking. Higher = more intervention. Real only on GT3/GT4; the Formula cars in this batch have no real-world ABS. (1-10 scale cited for the Audi R8 LMS EVO II GT3, not verified against the in-game editor)

    If you increase ↑
    More ABS = safer braking and fewer flat-spots, especially in the wet; slightly longer braking.
    If you decrease ↓
    Less ABS = shorter, more tactile braking, but more risk of locking up.
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